Telescope mount for rifles



SEARCH www iff g Oct. 17, 1950 w. GAGNIER 'rELEscoPE MouN'r FOR RIELEs Filed Feb. 21,1949

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ivm rae @AGN/ae vfy Patented Oct. 17, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE TELESCOPE MOUNT FOR RIFLES Walter Gagner, Los Angeles, Calif.

Application February 21, 1949, Serial No. 77,571

2 Claims. l

This invention relates to a new and improved mount used to position a telescope along the action and barrel of a rifle. The use of telescopic sights is well known to Sportsmen and marksmen. Generally the telescope (or rather its mount) has been screwed onto the gun in order to provide a secure attachment. However, in hunting, from time to time the telescope may become suddenly incapable of function as when it has been dropped into a stream or when the lens becomes clouded with moisture or dust. On such occasion, it is desirable to have some means for quickly withdrawing the telescope from the line of sight so that the gun may be -aimed for a rapid shot with the iron or auxiliary sights.

However if the telescope is screwed onto the gun,

quick removal is virtually impossible. Various alternatives have been tried, such as hinging the \telescope along the gun barrel, but these have proven generally unsatisfactory due to the un- `,\desired displacement of the scope from the line iof sight upon ring the gun.

Accordingly it is the purpose of the present invention to provide such a mount which selectively holds or locks the telescope in either functional alignment or retracted position, which is both simple of construction and operation, and highly effective in retaining the telescope on the gun at all times as well as quick-acting in allowing its withdrawing from the line of sight.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description and claims, the novelty consisting in the features of construction, combination of parts, the unique relations of the members and the relative proportioning, disposition, and operation thereof, all as more completely outlined herein and particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings, which form part of the present specification:

Figure l is a perspective view of a telescope located atop the action of a rifle by means of a pair of my mounts;

Figure 2 is an exploded perspective view of a single mount; and

Figure 3 is a vertical sectional View taken thru an assembled mount in raised position but without the telescope.

My mount is constructed of a movable part A and a stationary part B. The stationary portion forms a cradle for the movable portion and cornprises an arcuate base plate ID which is attached astride the ridge of a riile action I2 by means of screws I4 inserted thru apertures I6, here shown as four in number. The curvature of the lower face of the base plate is formed to correspond to the arcuate top of the gun barrel and/or action so as to rest snugly thereagainst.

Atop the anchor plate IIJ, are four upstanding posts I8, a pair disposed along each side of the plate, the members of each pair being laterally spaced apart, with parallel, vertical, adjacent side walls 20 forming a guideway 2| therebetween and downwardly expanding, angularly directed, inner walls 22 which latter serve to form a V- shaped cradle in conjunction with the corresponding walls of the opposing pair of posts.

The movable portion A comprises a split retaining ring 24 thru which the central tubular portion 26 of a telescope 28 is inserted and held by tightening a pair of screws 3l] traversing the apertured ears 32 of the ends of the ring. At each side of the ring is secured a lower; angularly projecting foot or anchor 34 characterized by a vertical outer face 3|] terminating in an upper, horizontal ledge or step 38. The width of the sliding face 36 corresponds to the distance between members of a lateral pair of posts I8 and is slidingly mounted in the guideway 2| formed therebetween, being perpendicularly drilled to provide a generally horizontal, cylindrical socket 4I) which serves to house an expansible helix or coil spring 42 and an outer projecting, ball bearing or detent 44.

Between each pair of posts I8 is removably mounted an upright finger or hinge plate 46, having an inturned head or proiection 48 adapted to rest on the step 36 of the adjacent foot 34 of the movable unit A. The finger is swingingly held by a vertical pin 50 inserted jointly thru horizontal bores 52 in the posts and a corresponding aperture 54 in the hinge. In upright position it forms the floor of the guideway 2| and is locked in place with its outer face flush with those of the adjacent posts I8 by means of a screw 56 threadedly inserted thru the tapped openings 58 in the posts and 60 in the hinge.

The inner face of each hinge 46 is provided with a pair of dished recesses or hemispherical sockets 62, 54 spaced apart in vertical alignment, the corresponding sockets of the opposing fingers also being in horizontal alignment so as to seat the similarly aligned pair of ball detents 44. If necessary, the top of the base plate may be recessed to form a trough 66 generally corresponding to the adjacent lower surface of the retaining ring 24 so as to provide clearance therebetween when the unit A is in its lowermost position. It should also be observed that the bottom faces of the sliding anchors or feet 34 do not abut against the base plate but that the entire support for the sliding unit A from below when in its lowered position, is obtained by engagement of the retaining ring 24 with the opposing V-walls of the cradle. When so located, the two detents 44 rest in the lower sockets 64 and tightly center the retaining ring 24 between the opposing V- shaped faces 22 of the posts I8, the pair of mounts 68, 10 thus positively and firmly aligning the telescope with the target (not shown), and the vertical guideways 2l at the same time securely holding the pair of footing members 34 against axial displacement along the gun barrel. However, when for any reason it is impossible touse the telescope A28, it can be grasped by the hands and, in unison with the pair of sliding units A, drawn upward to the-Position y.

seen in Figure 3 wherein the detents 44 seat in the upper pair of sockets 62 and the footing ledge 38 abuts against the bottom of the inturned nger head 48. In such location, the user can sight along the iron sights thru the open space 12 beneath the elevated telescope just as tho the latter were not there.

Thus it will be seen that I have produced a highly-effective telescope mount which securely holds the scope in either functional or retracted position without danger of accidental displacement. It is long lasting, having practically nothing to wear out; a very small amount of oil will serve to lubricate the bearings 44 which can be formed of softer metal than the adjacent finger 46 and replaced occasionally if desired. At the same time the whole bearing area is reasonably sealed from external dust and the like. To remove the unit A, it is simply raised to its outer posit-ion and the screw 56 removed from the posts I8 along one side. The loosened finger 46 can then be swung out on its hinge pin 50 and the unit A (with telescope) lifted out.

While I have shown and described in some detail a presently preferred embodiment of my telescope mount, it is to be understood that various modifications may be made in the construction and operation thereof within the scope of the subsequently claimed invention which it is my intention to claim broadly, having in mind the state of the prior art,

I claim:

1. A telescope mount for a rifle comprising: a base plate having means for attachment along the rifle action and barrel; a pair of upstanding posts arranged on each side of said plate so as jointly to form a cradle along the line of sight of the barrel, the members of each pair being laterally spaced apart so as to form a guideway transverse to the cradle; an outwardly swinging upright finger disposed between each pair of posts so as to close said guideway along their outer faces; a telescope-retaining ring lodged in said cradle and having an opposing pair of footing members slidingly mounted in the respective guideways whereby a telescope retained in said ring may be moved between an inner, functionally aligned position and an outer, retracted position which permits free use of the iron sights, the outer end of said fingers being inturned to provide a stop for upward movement of said footing members; and a springpressed ball detent---disposed inazfh'offsaid' 15guideways"` betweenwthe. outer, face.of..rafooting" `memben'and the adjacent finger so as to be lodged in a corresponding socket at inner and outer positions respectively of the telescope.

2. The combination comprising: a rifle; a telescope attached to said rifle by a pair of mounts longitudinally spaced apart, each of said mounts including: a base plate having means for attachment along the rifle action and barrel; a pair of upstanding posts arranged on each side of said plate so as jointly to form a cradle along the line of sight of the barrel, the members of each pair being laterally spaced apart so as to form a guideway transverse to the cradle; an outwardly swinging, upright nger disposed between each pair of posts so as to close said guideway along their outer faces; a telescope-retaining ring lodged in said cradle and having an opposing pair of footing members slidingly mounted in the respective guideways whereby a telescope retained in said ring may be moved. between an inner, functionally aligned position and an outer retracted position which/permits free use of the iron sights, the outer nd of said fingers being inturned to provi a stop for outward movement of said ting members; and a spring-pressed ball detent disposed in each ""ofisaid-guideways between the outer face of a footing member and the adjacent finger so as to be lodged in a corresponding socket at inner and outer positions respectively of the telescope.

WALTER GAGNTER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 834,785 Wilkinson Oct. 30, 1906 2,061,040 Mossberg Nov. 17, 1936 2,338,200 Patterson Jari. 4, 1944 

